Technology Tools
From 3D printers to laser cutters to virtual reality — explore the exciting technologies we use to bring STEM concepts to life in our classroom.
What You Can Make
- Custom prototypes and engineering models
- Replacement parts for broken objects
- Architectural scale models
- Assistive devices and prosthetics
- Art, jewelry, and decorative objects
- Functional tools and jigs
3D Printing
Turn a digital design into a real, physical object — layer by layer.
3D printing (also called additive manufacturing) builds objects by depositing thin layers of material — usually plastic filament — one on top of another, following a digital blueprint. A 3D printer reads a CAD file and translates it into a physical object in a matter of hours. What once required expensive factories can now happen right in our classroom.
How We Use It in Class
In our PLTW courses, students design objects in Tinkercad or Autodesk Fusion 360, export them as STL files, and print them on our classroom FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printers. 3D printing is central to the Design and Modeling course, where students prototype therapeutic toys, and to Green Architecture, where students create scale building models.
Did You Know?
NASA has used 3D printing to manufacture parts on the International Space Station — eliminating the need to launch replacement parts from Earth. Surgeons have also used 3D-printed models of patients' organs to plan complex operations.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Precision-cut wooden parts and enclosures
- Engraved signs, awards, and nameplates
- Architectural models and puzzle pieces
- Custom stencils and templates
- Decorative panels and artwork
- Interlocking structural components
Laser Cutting & Engraving
Use a focused beam of light to cut and engrave with incredible precision.
A laser cutter uses a high-powered, computer-controlled laser beam to cut through or engrave materials like wood, acrylic, cardboard, and leather with extreme precision. The laser follows a digital vector design, burning or vaporizing material along the path. The result is clean, precise cuts that would be nearly impossible to achieve by hand.
How We Use It in Class
Students design their projects in vector-based software (like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator), then send the file to the laser cutter. We use laser cutting in architecture and design projects to create precise building components, decorative elements, and custom enclosures for electronics projects. The laser cutter can also engrave images and text onto surfaces.
Did You Know?
Laser cutters are used to manufacture everything from microchips to aircraft parts. The word "laser" is actually an acronym: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Custom stickers and decals
- Window graphics and signage
- Iron-on transfers for clothing
- Stencils for painting and spray art
- Labels and organizational graphics
- Heat transfer vinyl designs for apparel
Vinyl Cutting
Design custom graphics, stickers, and signs with a computer-controlled blade.
A vinyl cutter uses a small, computer-controlled blade to cut shapes and letters from sheets of adhesive vinyl. You design your graphic digitally, send it to the cutter, and the machine traces the outline with precision. The cut vinyl can then be transferred to almost any surface — windows, walls, clothing, vehicles, and more.
How We Use It in Class
Students use vinyl cutting to create professional-looking graphics for their projects and presentations. It's a great introduction to vector design and understanding how digital files translate to physical output. Vinyl cutting is also used to create labels, signage, and decorative elements for engineering projects and school events.
Did You Know?
The same technology used in classroom vinyl cutters is used by professional sign shops, apparel decorators, and even automotive wrap artists. A skilled vinyl cutter operator can create graphics accurate to fractions of a millimeter.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Precise 3D models of mechanical parts
- Architectural floor plans and elevations
- Product prototypes and assemblies
- Technical drawings with exact dimensions
- Simulations of how parts fit together
- Files ready for 3D printing or CNC machining
CAD Software
Design precise 2D drawings and 3D models on a computer — the language of modern engineering.
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software allows engineers, architects, and designers to create precise digital models of objects and structures. Instead of drawing by hand, CAD lets you build accurate 2D drawings and 3D models that can be tested, modified, and shared instantly. CAD files can be sent directly to 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines.
How We Use It in Class
We use Autodesk Tinkercad for beginners and Autodesk Fusion 360 for more advanced work. In Design and Modeling, students create 3D CAD models of their therapeutic toy designs. In Green Architecture, students design full building models with floor plans, elevations, and 3D views. CAD is also used to design enclosures and components for robotics and electronics projects.
Did You Know?
Before CAD software existed, engineers drew everything by hand on large drafting tables. The first CAD software was developed at MIT in the early 1960s. Today, virtually every manufactured product in the world — from your phone to a Boeing 787 — was designed using CAD.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Automatic night lights and motion sensors
- Temperature and weather monitoring stations
- Interactive games and light displays
- Line-following and obstacle-avoiding robots
- Smart home automation prototypes
- Musical instruments and sound synthesizers
Electronics & Microcontrollers
Build circuits and program tiny computers to sense, respond, and control the world.
Microcontrollers like Arduino are tiny, programmable computers on a single chip. They can read inputs from sensors (light, temperature, motion, sound) and control outputs (LEDs, motors, buzzers, displays). Combined with a breadboard and electronic components, microcontrollers let students build interactive devices, automated systems, and smart gadgets from scratch.
How We Use It in Class
In Magic of Electrons, students build and test circuits on breadboards, learning how components like resistors, LEDs, and sensors work together. In Automation and Robotics, students program microcontrollers to control motors and respond to sensor input. We use Arduino and similar platforms because they're industry-standard tools used by professional engineers and makers worldwide.
Did You Know?
Arduino was invented in 2005 by a team of designers and engineers in Italy who wanted to make electronics accessible to artists and students. Today, over 10 million Arduino boards have been sold worldwide, and the platform is used in everything from art installations to NASA experiments.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Autonomous line-following robots
- Remote-controlled vehicles and arms
- Robots that respond to light, sound, or touch
- Sorting and pick-and-place machines
- Competitive challenge robots
- Automated conveyor and assembly systems
Robotics Kits
Build, program, and compete with real robots — combining mechanics, electronics, and code.
Robotics kits provide the mechanical components, motors, sensors, and controllers needed to build programmable robots. Students assemble the physical structure, wire the electronics, and write code to bring their robot to life. Robotics integrates mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science into one hands-on challenge.
How We Use It in Class
In Automation and Robotics, students use VEX and similar robotics platforms to build and program automated systems. They work through progressively complex challenges — from basic movement to sensor-driven automation — experiencing the full engineering design cycle. Robotics projects require students to work as a team, dividing responsibilities between mechanical assembly, wiring, and programming.
Did You Know?
The global robotics industry is expected to be worth over $200 billion by 2030. Robots are used in surgery, space exploration, disaster response, agriculture, and manufacturing. The skills you develop building classroom robots are the same ones used by professional robotics engineers.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Interactive games and animations
- Websites and web applications
- Programs that control robots and devices
- Data analysis and visualization tools
- Automated scripts that save time
- Apps for phones and computers
Coding & Programming
Write instructions that computers, robots, and machines can follow.
Programming is the process of writing instructions — code — that a computer or device can execute. From block-based visual coding (like Scratch) to text-based languages (like Python and JavaScript), coding is the foundation of every app, website, game, and automated system in the modern world. Learning to code teaches logical thinking, problem decomposition, and creativity.
How We Use It in Class
Coding is woven throughout our PLTW courses. In Technology Literacy, students are introduced to block-based coding with Scratch. In Automation and Robotics, students write programs to control robot behavior. In Magic of Electrons, students program microcontrollers to respond to sensor input. We use a progression of tools — from visual block coding to text-based languages — to build confidence and skill.
Did You Know?
There are over 700 programming languages in existence, but only a handful are widely used. The most popular language in the world right now is Python — it's used for everything from web development to artificial intelligence to scientific research. Learning to code in one language makes it much easier to learn others.
Used In These Courses
What You Can Make
- Virtual tours of buildings and spaces
- Immersive science simulations
- Interactive 3D models you can walk through
- AR overlays for engineering drawings
- Virtual prototypes of products
- Educational experiences and games
Virtual & Augmented Reality
Step inside your designs and explore digital worlds that blend with the real one.
Virtual Reality (VR) immerses users in a fully digital environment using a headset. Augmented Reality (AR) overlays digital information onto the real world — like seeing a 3D model of a building placed on your desk through a tablet camera. Both technologies are transforming how engineers design, how doctors train, and how students learn.
How We Use It in Class
We use VR and AR tools to bring designs to life in ways that flat screens can't. Students can take virtual tours of architectural designs, explore the inside of a human cell, or simulate a Mars landing. AR tools let students place their 3D CAD models in the real world to check scale and proportion. These technologies help students visualize concepts that are otherwise hard to grasp.
Did You Know?
The global VR and AR market is expected to reach $450 billion by 2030. Surgeons use VR to practice operations before performing them on real patients. Architects use VR to walk clients through buildings before a single brick is laid. The technology you're exploring in class is the same technology reshaping medicine, engineering, and entertainment.
Used In These Courses
Ready to use these tools?
Explore the PLTW courses where you'll get hands-on experience with these technologies.